BANGOR TWP. — The three intermediate school districts across the Great Lakes Bay Region will share a more uniform curriculum next school year.

The Saginaw Intermediate School District and the Midland County Educational Service Agency are contracting with the Bay-Arenac Intermediate School District for coordination among instructional services, according to Bay-Arenac ISD Superintendent Michael Dewey.

Bay-Arenac ISD Superintendent Michael Dewey

Dewey said the curriculum director at the Saginaw ISD left for another job and the curriculum director at MCESA is retiring.

"They are interested in contracting with Bay-Arenac ISD for a coordinator of instructional services to assist their ISDs, their local school districts and their planning and operation for curriculum development," he said.

Each of the ISDs will pay the Bay-Arenac ISD $50,000 per year for services, according to Dewey.

"The Great Lakes Bay Consortium is the three intermediate school districts working together along with Delta College and SVSU to look at instructional services programs where we can share services and collaborate wherever possible," Dewey said.

Deb Dunbar, Bay-Arenac ISD's director of instructional services, will work with the other two ISDs local school districts to develop "tri-county-wide professional development," Dewey said.

"Obviously, we've got a statewide curriculum," he said. "The expectations are that all students be proficient. It doesn't make a different whether they're in Bullock Creek, Essexville-Hampton or Saginaw Township — the expectations are the same."

The Great Lakes Bay Consortium has come together this year, primarily, Dewey said.

"Every year we keep looking at more and more ways (to collaborate)," he said.

Gov. Rick Snyder's call for more collaboration and consolidation of school services was partially behind the Great Lakes Bay Consortium, Dewey said.

"I think that's been an impetus, but we've always shared services," he said.

"But no question about it, in these economic times we know that resources are limited and if we can share people and resources and get to the same end, it only makes great sense."